Tag Archives: epa

The Costs and Benefits of Federal Telework (podcast)

It used to be that if you weren’t in the office, you couldn’t get work done. Now, at least 1 million federal employees are eligible to telework. But what are the costs and benefits to federal agencies of this flexible … Continue reading

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Examining Ocean Acidification on World Oceans Day

Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and oceans are resulting in chemical changes known as “ocean acidification.” These changes may pose risks for some marine species and ecosystems, as well as for the coastal communities that rely on them … Continue reading

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Forest Health

When Earth Day started in 1970, our nation’s forests needed help. That’s still the case today. For today’s Earth Day, the WatchBlog looks at federal efforts to restore large swaths of the nation’s forests.

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Genetically Engineered Crops (podcast)

Genetically engineered crops, while controversial in some circles, have become commonplace in commercial agriculture. USDA and industry groups estimate that 90% of major commercial crops such as corn and soybeans are genetically engineered varieties. But as demand for organic and … Continue reading

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Drinking Water and Fracking (podcast)

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has helped increase domestic oil and gas production. But fracking, along with other drilling methods, produces wastewater, which can contain various chemicals and metals, among other things. Listen to Alfredo Gomez, a director in our Natural … Continue reading

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Assessing Toxic Chemicals at Home and Abroad (podcast)

It’s the Environmental Protection Agency’s job to safeguard public health and the environment. This includes assessing the risks of chemicals—some of which are toxic—in water, land, and air. Yet problems have kept the EPA’s work on our High Risk List. We … Continue reading

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Safe and Clean Water

Safe, clean water is essential for human and environmental health. However, our supply of clean water is at risk from pollution and droughts, like the current one in California. And, even when clean water is available at the source, aging … Continue reading

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Chemical Safety One Year After Explosion in West, TX

Last year, a fire set off a tragic explosion at a fertilizer storage and distribution facility in West, Texas. The explosion killed and injured many people and severely damaged nearby houses and other buildings, including schools. While the investigation that … Continue reading

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Looking at Green Cities and Green Buildings for Earth Day

Today is the 34th annual Earth Day, and this year’s theme is “Green Cities.” To mark the occasion, let’s look at some of our work examining the federal government’s role in encouraging green building. Green building practices can create more … Continue reading

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Impacts of Fiscal Year 2013 Sequestration

On March 1st, 2013, the president ordered an across-the-board reduction in federal agency budgets. This reduction, more commonly known as sequestration, had a wide range of effects on agency operations and services to the public. The infographic below outlines some of our key findings … Continue reading

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